Apple iPad 11" 11-inch (A16) Yellow

The best all-around iPad for normal humans, with a killer screen and all-day battery. Just don't try to use it as a laptop replacement, and for the love of all that is holy, shop around before you buy.

The A16 chip here is a known quantity from the iPhone 14 Pro, and it's still a solid performer. In our database, its CPU and GPU sit right around the middle of the pack compared to all tablets, which sounds average until you realize it's competing against full-blown laptops in some cases. What surprised us is how well it handles everyday stuff. Apps open instantly, editing 4K video in iMovie is smooth, and games like Genshin Impact run without a stutter. The real bottleneck is the 4GB of RAM, which lands in the bottom third of our rankings. You'll notice it if you're a tab hoarder in Safari or try to juggle multiple pro apps at once.

The elephant in the room is the iPad Air. For not much more money, you get the M-series chip and 8GB of RAM, which makes a real difference for creative work and multitasking. On the Android side, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 is the main rival with a superior 120Hz AMOLED screen that makes this iPad's 60Hz LCD feel a generation behind. But Samsung's software update promise isn't as long as Apple's, and the A16 chip here still outmuscles most Android tablets in raw CPU grunt. If you're deep in the Apple ecosystem, this is the easy choice. If you want the best screen for media, the Tab S11 is tempting.

Pricing is a bit of a rollercoaster right now, with vendors listing this 512GB cellular model anywhere from $899 to $1217. At the low end, it's a solid deal for the storage you're getting. At the high end, you're dangerously close to iPad Air territory, which gets you a better chip and more RAM. If you can snag it closer to that $899 mark, it's a great buy. Just shop around and don't overpay.

The 11-inch iPad with the A16 chip is the sweet spot for most people who just want a tablet that works. It's fast enough for everything from streaming to light photo editing, the screen is gorgeous, and you get that classic iPad build quality without jumping up to the pricier Air or Pro models. The one thing to know? This is the reliable daily driver that'll easily last you five years, but those 4GB of RAM mean it's not a true laptop replacement for heavy multitaskers.

If you're looking for a laptop replacement with serious multitasking chops, this isn't it. 4GB of RAM just doesn't cut it for heavy workflows. Go get an iPad Air or a Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition instead. And if you're a screen snob who can't stand 60Hz, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11's 120Hz AMOLED will ruin this display for you.

For students, casual users, and anyone upgrading from an iPad that's five or more years old, this is a fantastic tablet. It's fast, reliable, and the 512GB model is a storage beast. But if you're a professional trying to replace a laptop, or you're sensitive to screen smoothness, skip this and go straight to the iPad Air. This is the best iPad for most people, as long as you're not a power user.